Light reflective headwear

ABSTRACT

A light reflective headwear in the form of a baseball style cap is provided in which substantially all exterior surfaces of each of the several portions of the headwear are formed of light reflecting material such as retroreflective material which is colored so as to appear substantially the same as a non-light reflective headwear of corresponding color under normal light conditions. The headwear has a favorable and aesthetic appearance because it appears and feels substantially the same as conventional headwear during normal lighting conditions, but is also a very effective piece of safety wear-gear as it provides a high degree of visibility for persons wearing same under low lighting or dark conditions, reflecting light up to approximately 1000 meters from a source of light.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 USC § 120 from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/563,762, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to personal light reflective headwear. More particularly, the present invention relates to personal light reflective headwear that provides a high level of visibility for the wearer under low-light conditions, and yet is also lightweight, comfortable, appealing in appearance and convenient to wear at all times.

2. Description of the Background Art

Outdoor activities have increased in popularity in recent years. However, due to scheduling constraints or personal choice, many choose to exercise outdoors during low light conditions or during the nighttime hours. Many of these activities occur in areas where traffic coexists such as roadways, parks, bike trails, waterways, and the like. As a result, collisions between joggers and vehicles, for example, become more likely in poor lighting conditions when vehicle speed does not allow the driver to see the jogger until it is too late. The same can be said for a fisherman in a boat on a darkened river overtaken by another vessel, as another example.

Still more significantly, according to a recent study by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the third leading cause of death among officers during the period of 1995-2004 is being struck by vehicles while standing at the side of a road, e.g., when talking to and/or assisting motorists. Clearly, there is a significant danger of injury or death if a the driver of a moving vehicle cannot perceive an individual standing adjacent to the road on which the vehicle is travelling.

In response to such situations as discussed, articles of clothing with reflective portions or notions have been developed. These articles range from jackets, vests and pants to jogging shoes and headwear such as helmets, knit caps, headbands and baseball style caps with reflective trim. Since even at night, there is ambient light in the surroundings and most moving vehicles feature a light source of some type, gathering the light with reflective material on clothing articles such that a person wearing same becomes much more visible to others around them is highly efficient and requires no maintenance or assembly by the wearer.

Examples of some of the known reflective devices/apparel include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 291,033, 3,038,381, 3,577,561, 3,885,246, 4,365,354, 4,517,685, 4,533,592, 5,315,491, 6,237,155, D455,539 and D478,710. Retroreflective materials are a particular type of reflective material which reflect light directly back at the light source, e.g., a vehicle headlight, and have been used extensively in the known reflective devices/apparel. One such retroreflective material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,967.

While these known reflective articles are generally effective for their intended purposes, there are some drawbacks and limitations associated therewith. One of the drawbacks of articles of this type is that the wearer typically has to affirmatively add these items outside of a normal wardrobe. It is therefore very easy for the wearer to forget to add the reflective article or to lose the article at some point. Further, many of the known articles have an appearance which is not particularly appealing or stylish, whereby many persons are reluctant to wear the articles, especially where there is no affirmative requirement to do so.

Another drawback is that the reflective portion(s) of the articles is/are limited in area when compared to the surface area of the wearer, and may not be noticed by persons whose attention is sought to be attracted, e.g., busy motorists. For example, the reflective material may be provided on a portion of the wearer's body which does not directly face the other person. Further, some portions of a person's body move less than other portions during normal activities such as walking or jogging, e.g., a walker's torso moves less than his/her head, arms and legs, such that a reflective article disposed on the torso may be less noticeable than if the article was disposed on the head or arms. Still further, reflective articles worn on a jogger's feet may be less noticeable to a motorist than articles worn on higher portions of the jogger's body due to the low position thereof.

Other known devices or articles of apparel which a person may wear to attract attention to himself/herself for safety purposes use electricity and light emitting device(s) to signal the presence of the wearer, but these are significantly more involved, gaudy and costly than simply reflective devices/apparel. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,580,718, 5,779,348, 5,879,069, 6,007,211 and 6,538,567. Similarly, it is known to make devices or articles of clothing having luminescent qualities, including shoe soles and headwear such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 273,074 and 5,716,723. Luminescent articles have safety characteristics, but are much less noticeable as reflective articles in many situations, e.g., to motorists driving at night whose vehicle headlights are so much brighter than a luminescent glow.

As will be understood, a need still exists in the art for improved light reflective headwear. In particular, there is a need for improved light reflective headwear with significantly improved visibility in low-light conditions, and which is also lightweight, comfortable, attractive in appearance, and convenient to wear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a light reflective headwear that overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of known safety devices and articles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a light reflective headwear that is very comfortable and appealing in appearance such that people will desire to wear same as conventional headwear regardless of the light-reflective safety promoting characteristics thereof.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide such a light reflective headwear that provides exceptional light reflectivity even at relative large distances under low-light conditions for enhanced safety.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide such a light reflective headwear that is adjustable for wearer's comfort and universal application.

It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide such a light reflective headwear that is available in essentially any color, including dark colors.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a light reflective headwear that is water- and stain-proof/resistant.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light reflective baseball style cap is provided in which substantially all exterior surfaces of the headwear are formed of light reflecting material so that the cap provides 360° of light reflectivity around a person wearing the cap, and wherein the light reflecting material is colored so as to appear substantially the same as a non-light reflective baseball style cap of corresponding color under normal light conditions.

Such headwear is advantageous because (among other reasons) people will desire to wear same as conventional headwear regardless of the light-reflective safety promoting characteristics thereof, thus promoting greater use and acceptance of same, ultimately resulting in greater safety for persons wearing the headwear.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the cap may be provided in various colors, including dark colors such as black and navy blue, while still maintaining a sufficient reflective candle power that is visible to at least 350 meters from a light source. Such variety of colors further promotes use of the cap by persons who prefer the various colors.

The light reflecting material may comprise retroreflective material, including a colored fabric layer, adhesive covering one face of the fabric layer, and reflective microbeads and pigment covering the adhesive. The reflective microbeads may be formed of glass or as polymeric prismatic elements for example.

Through such construction of the retroreflective material, it is possible to achieve a desired color for the cap using a relatively small amount of pigment together with the reflective microbeads for covering the adhesive, a large percentage of exterior surfaces of the cap is formed by the reflective microbeads This, in turn, results in a large light reflectivity or reflective candle power for the cap despite the fact that it is colored. This also makes the exterior surfaces highly stain resistant because the reflective microbeads can be readily cleaned of any stain similar to a conventional glass or polymeric surface.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, the reader is referred to the following detailed description section, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description and in the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts.

Although the following disclosure is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations of form and/or additions of further improvements. There has been chosen a specific embodiment of the headwear for purposes of illustration and description of the structure, the embodiment being shown in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a light reflective headwear, in the form of a baseball style cap, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of retroreflective material used in forming exterior surfaces of the headwear.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a light reflective headwear, in the form of a baseball style cap, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a present embodiment of the invention is shown which is in the form of a baseball style cap 1. While the invention is described specifically in relation to a baseball-style cap, again, the depicted embodiment is presented for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the present invention to headwear of the style and specific characteristics described herein.

Generally, the headwear 1 according to the embodiment includes the conventional portions of a baseball style cap, i.e., a substantially semispherical crown 2 which fits over the upper portion of a wearer's head, a brim or bill 3 at the front portion of the crown and an adjustment mechanism 5 at the rear of crown for selectively adjusting a circumference of a lower portion of the crown 2 according to the wearer's head size and/or preference.

As depicted, the crown 2 may be constructed of several substantially triangular shaped flexible fabric panels 7 which are sewn or otherwise joined together along seams 8, an upper button or rivet 9 joining the pointed upper ends of all of the panels 7 together, an absorbent, spongy band 10 provided at the inner, lower edge of the crown and extending around the entire circumference of the lower crown, except where the adjustment mechanism 5 is disposed, and vent openings 6 formed through the panels 7. Along inner surfaces of the seams 8, a reinforcing backing liner 11 may be provided which is operatively engaged by stitching forming the seams, while a moisture absorbing liner 12 may be provided to cover inner surfaces of at least the front most panels 7.

The bill 3 includes upper and lower layers of material 13, 14 connected to an inner reinforcing member (not shown) formed of cardboard, a plastic sheet or the like via sewing, an adhesive or any other appropriate method/means of bonding, while an inner edge of the bill 3 is connected to a lower front edge of the crown 2 via sewing or any other appropriate method/means of bonding.

As depicted, the adjustment mechanism 5 at the rear of crown may include a substantially semicircular recess 16 defined at the lower rearmost portion of the crown 2, and a pair of straps 17-18 each having one end secured to a respective edge of the recess 16 via sewing or the like, and provided on opposing surfaces thereof with hook-and-loop type fastening material such that the free ends of the straps 17, 18 may be selectively joined together with various degrees of overlap for thereby adjusting a relative circumference of the lower portion of the crown 2 according to the wearer's head size and/or preference.

Of course, the depicted features of the present embodiment of the invention may be varied if so desired within the scope of the invention. For example, the adjustment mechanism 5 may be eliminated such that the headwear is not adjustable in size, or a different type of adjustment mechanism may be used, e.g., one where the straps are formed of plastic with a series of holes formed in one strap and projection(s) formed on the other strap which may selectively be inserted into various ones of the holes to adjust the relative circumference of the crown, or one in which a buckle, rather than hook-and-loop material, is provided for securing the straps together in various degrees of overlap for adjusting the relative circumference of the crown. Similarly, the crown 2 could be formed with a lesser number of panels, e.g. two, which are joined together, or may be formed as a single continuous panel. Still further, the rivet 9 and/or the vent openings 6 may be eliminated, while additional trim may be provided along some or all of the edges and seams of the headwear, decals and/or embroidery may be provided on one or more of the portions of the headwear, etc.

With reference to FIG. 5, according to another embodiment of the present invention, which is a modification of the first embodiment, one or more of the side panels of the crown may include a breathable mesh portion 19, thereby providing added comfort for the wearer.

As will be understood, the above discussion of the depicted embodiments of the present invention largely reflects conventional practices in the construction of baseball style caps. According to a novel and important aspect of the present invention, however, a large percentage up to substantially all exterior surfaces of each of the several portions of the headwear are formed of light reflecting material, e.g., the material forming the crown panels 7, the upper layer of material 13 and perhaps the lower layer of material 14 of the bill 3, material covering the rivet 9, and exterior surfaces of the straps 17, 18 of the adjustment mechanism 5. Thread used in connecting the several components of the cap together may or may not be reflective, but even if it is not, the thread does not constitute a significant or appreciable portion of the exterior surfaces of the cap. Also, the mesh portion 19 may or may not be formed of the retroreflective material.

As used herein “exterior surfaces” means those surfaces which are visible at a position spaced from the headwear when the headwear is being worn on a person's head. Thus, “exterior surfaces” excludes surfaces on the inside of the crown 2 which engage the wearer's head. Of course, the surfaces on the inside of the crown could also be made of reflective material in a headwear according to the present invention, but this would not enhance the safety aspects of the headwear because light would not shine on such surfaces to be reflected.

The reflective material used in forming the headwear of the invention may, for example, be a fabric or material having a retroreflective surface formed on one side (the outward facing side) thereof. Some known retroreflective materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,962,108, 6,416,856 and 6,592,967 or U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2003-0156331A1, 2003-0129359A1 and 2004-0028836A1, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Generally, retroreflective articles return incident light back directly towards the light source such that the angle-wise intensity of light reflection is most intense at 0° and lessening to a range of approximately 180°. A retroreflective article of clothing highlights the wearer's presence to motorists at nighttime or other low-light conditions by retroreflecting light from motor vehicle headlamps. Light from the headlamps strikes the retroreflective article on the wearer's clothing and is returned toward the light source, the motor vehicle, enabling the driver to become aware of the person's presence and react appropriately.

Various types of flexible retroreflective sheeting are known, including those disclosed in the references cited above. However, according to the present invention a retroreflective material 20 suitable for use in forming light reflective headwear of the invention may be formed as follows, with reference to FIG. 4.

First, an appropriate fabric layer 22 is provided, which may be formed of 100% cotton, a cotton/polyester blend, nylon, etc., but the of 100% cotton and cotton/polyester blends are particularly lightweight and comfortable to wear on one's head, which again promotes use of the headwear. Then a thin layer of an appropriate adhesive 24 is coated on the fabric so as to substantially, entirely cover one surface thereof. The adhesive may comprise an appropriate transparent or opaque polymeric resin, and may be coated on the fabric by spraying. Then, reflective microbeads 26, and optionally color pigment 28 mixed with the microbeads, are adhered to the adhesive so as to substantially, entirely cover the adhesive, and the adhesive is dried or cured, such that the reflective microbeads 26 and the pigment (if used) are permanently bonded to the fabric layer 22 and substantially entirely cover one surface of the fabric layer. The reflective microbeads 26 may be formed of glass or of appropriate polymers such as acrylic, polycarbonate, polyester, polyurethane, or crosslinked acrylates, and the microbeads may include a metallic or other coating to enhance the light reflectivity thereof. The adhesive 24 is selected based on compatibility with the material of the microbeads and any pigment being used.

Although not shown, the retroreflective material 20 may also be coated with a suitable polymeric material, such as highly plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to give enhanced durability and flexibility thereto. However, by placing a layer of polymeric material on top or the reflective microbeads, this will decrease the light reflecting intensity of the microbeads.

Again, according to an important aspect of the present invention, the light-reflective exterior surfaces of the headwear may be colored so as to appear like conventional non-light reflective headwear under normal or high light conditions, e.g., daylight conditions, so as provide a conventional aesthetic appearance, and thereby promote use of the headwear. Correspondingly, the retroreflective material of the invention may be suitably colored as desired. For such purpose, the fabric layer 22 may be colored and/or the pigment 28 may be applied together with the reflective microbeads 26 for covering the adhesive layer 24. Applicant has determined, however, that coloring of the fabric layer 22 is desirable because it interferes less with the light-reflecting characteristics of the microbeads 26 than does the pigment which is mixed and applied together with the microbeads, although use of the pigment in addition to coloring of the fabric layer 22 more readily/easily permits the retroreflective material to have most colors, including darker colors, under normal and high light conditions. Typically, the fabric may have the same or substantially the same color as the pigment where both sources of color are used.

As an example, if a white fabric layer 22 has a transparent or opaque adhesive layer 24 applied thereto, and then reflective microbeads 26 with a reflective coating thereon are applied to cover the adhesive layer with no pigment, the resulting retroreflective material 20 appears to have a metallic, tin colored exterior surface, and such surface has exceptional light reflecting ability, e.g., having a high coefficient of retroreflectivity exceeding 500 candelas per lux per square meter at 0.2° observation angle and −4° entrance angle for the average of 0° and 90 orientation angles. Of course, a metallic tin colored appearance is not a conventionally popular appearance for headwear such as baseball style caps, so that many persons may be reluctant to wear same.

Thus, according to the present invention color may be imparted to the headwear, specifically the retroreflective material 20 of the headwear, by coloring the fabric layer 22 and/or adding pigment 28 with the reflective microbeads 26 that are bonded to the adhesive.

As another example, applicant has determined that if pigment(s) are combined with the reflective microbeads 26 the headwear may be made to appear substantially any color under normal light conditions, including dark colors such as black and navy blue, while retaining very satisfactory light reflecting ability under low light conditions, e.g., having a high coefficient of retroreflectivity of approximately 175-250 candelas per lux per square meter at 0.2° observation angle and −4° entrance angle for the average of 0° and 90 orientation angles for the dark colors.

As will be appreciated, less pigment is required to achieve lighter colors such as tan, pink, light blue, light green, etc., and more pigment is required to achieve darker colors such as black, navy blue, dark brown, etc., whereas the more pigment that is used the greater the reduction of the light reflecting ability of the headwear. Thus, for example, applicant has determined that for achieving lighter colors, 5% wt of the pigment 28 may be adhered together with the reflective microspheres 26 to the fabric layer 22 so that the pigment covers a substantially proportionate amount of the surface area of the fabric, and the resulting material—headwear will have a high coefficient of retroreflectivity of approximately 325-475 candelas per lux per square meter at 0.2° observation angle and −4° entrance angle for the average of 0° and 90 orientation angles. On the other hand, applicant has determined that for achieving the darkest colors, e.g., black and navy blue, 45% wt of the pigment 28, typically between 25-40% wt, may be adhered together with the reflective microspheres 26 to the fabric layer 22 so that the pigment covers a substantially proportionate amount of the surface area of the fabric, and the resulting material—headwear will have a high coefficient of retroreflectivity of approximately 175-250 candelas per lux per square meter at 0.2° observation angle and −4° entrance angle for the average of 0° and 90 orientation angles.

Again, a color of the fabric is best when it matches the finished color of cap, i.e., black color fabric to make a finished black light reflective cap. By utilizing a colored fabric, less quantity of colored pigments is required which allows to add more reflective beads thereby producing the caps having higher reflectivity.

The headwear formed using retroreflective material used according to the invention results in a headwear capable of reflecting light as far as 1000 meters, including relatively high visibility up to 350 meters under low light conditions, giving the motorists sufficient time to react for avoiding a collision with a person wearing the headwear. For example, with a retroreflective headwear according to the invention, the angle-wise intensity of light reflection is most intense at 0° and lessening to a range of approximately 180°, and distance-wise the light reflectivity is most intense starting around 25 meters from the light source (e.g., headlights), remaining relatively intense out to approximately 100 meters and progressively lessening out to approximately 1000 meters from the light source. Hence, the head wear of the invention provides motorists and other who may be approaching the person wearing the headwear sufficient time to react and avoid any collision with the person. Further, because substantially all exterior reflective of the headwear are light-reflective, persons wearing the headwear will be visible regardless of the direction of the light source relative to the persons.

The retroreflective material 20 may have a 100% ability to reflect light back towards the light source, such that the material has 100% reflectivity.

The disposition of the light-reflective headwear on a person's head further enhances the visibility of the person due to the fact that a person's head moves fore frequently and to a larger extent than, for example, the person's torso on which a reflective vest may be disposed, and due to the relatively high position of the head within a viewing range.

Desirably, a conventionally sized baseball style cap having all exterior surfaces formed of the light reflecting (retroreflective) material according to the present invention includes approximately 150 square inches of reflecting material which completely surrounds-encloses (360°) the upper portion of the wearer's head such that it is very conspicuous and provides high visibility, 360° light reflectivity, for the wearer under low light conditions in a wide range of activities; e.g., walking, biking, running. Further, natural movements of a person's head tend to accentuate the visibility of the light reflective cap.

According to another important aspect of the invention, the reflective or retroreflective material used in forming all exterior surfaces of the headwear may be lightweight, have a relatively smooth finish and a solid continuous color, giving the headwear has a favorable look (aesthetic appearance) and feel. Because the reflective nature of the exterior surfaces of the headwear is not readily apparent under normal light conditions, the headwear generally appears like any conventional headwear of the same style, e.g., baseball style caps. For this reason, persons who otherwise wear baseball style caps on any regular basis would be much more inclined to wear the headwear according to the present invention than other conventional safety headwear which often has a less conventional or aesthetic appearance and feel. Also, the variously colored nature of the headwear permits an appropriate color or colors of material to be selected for use in any given setting or background such that the headwear separates its wearer from the background, which may be desirable for safety and/or personal preference.

Of course, various portions or all of the surface finish could be modified to be non-smooth, and various portions of the headwear could be formed in different colors if so desired. Similarly, the headwear of the invention may include non-reflective portions on the outer surface thereof, e.g., logos, embroidery, etc. if so desired.

In terms of color, the headwear is not limited, as the reflective-retroreflective material forming the exterior surfaces can be produced in essentially any color, including pink, lime, yellow, orange, and dark colors such as black and dark blue, while still possessing excellent light reflecting qualities.

According to yet another important aspect of the invention, the reflective or retroreflective material used in forming all exterior surfaces of the headwear may be waterproof or water resistant. Such characteristic results, for example, from the reflective microbeads 26 and the adhesive layer 24 used in manufacturing the retroreflective material forming the exterior surfaces of the headwear. Also, the vent openings 6 could be eliminated and the seams 8 covered with waterproof tape or other waterproof material. Thus, the resulting, assembled headwear would not be substantially affected by rain for an extended period of time such as the normal lifetime of a baseball style cap. Even if the vents 6 are maintained and/or the seams 8 not covered with waterproof material, the headwear would otherwise have a desirably water resistant quality.

Similarly, due to the exterior surfaces of the headwear being formed primarily of the reflective microbeads 26, or the optional layer of flexible polymeric material disposed thereon, the headwear is stain proof or stain resistant, because stains do not strongly bond thereto. Thus, if the material is stained, the stain can be readily removed by simply wiping the material with a cloth or a cloth wetted with a glass or surface cleaner.

If desired, the exterior surfaces of the headwear according to the invention could also be made to have a luminescent characteristic, in addition to a light reflecting characteristic. In such case a material such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,786 could be used in forming the exterior surfaces of the headwear. The entire disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,786 is hereby incorporated by reference.

The cutting and assembling of the retroreflective material into a cap according to the invention requires careful operations as such material contains fabric with additional layers of adhesive, the reflective microbeads and possibly color pigment. First, the fabric is carefully cut into desired pieces and assembled to form the cap. Special needles and controlled speed sewing machines are used to assemble caps.

Although the present invention has been described herein with respect to a limited number of presently preferred embodiments, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art will realize that many modifications of the preferred embodiment could be made which would be operable. All such modifications, which are within the scope of the claims, are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 

1. A light reflective baseball style cap for providing a high level of visibility and safety for a wearer, comprising: a crown adapted to engage the wearer's head, and including a plurality of soft fabric panels joined together along seams thereof; a brim attached to a front portion of said crown; and an adjustment mechanism disposed at a rear portion of said crown and permitting adjustment of a circumference of a lower portion of the crown; wherein substantially all exterior surfaces of said crown, said brim, and said adjustment mechanism are formed of retroreflective material, such that the cap reflects light directed at the wearer from any direction.
 2. The light reflective headwear of claim 1, wherein said crown further includes a rivet joining upper portions of said panels and having a cover of said retroreflective material.
 3. The light reflective headwear of claim 1, wherein said retroreflective material comprises reflective microbeads and pigment adhered to a surface of a fabric substrate so as to substantially completely cover same, such that said cap appears the color of said pigment under normal light conditions and appears a brilliant white when reflecting light under low light conditions.
 4. A light reflective headwear of claim 3, wherein said pigment covers less than five percent of a total area of said surface of the fabric substrate.
 5. A light reflective headwear of claim 3, wherein said fabric substrate is colored the same as said pigment.
 6. A light reflective headwear of claim 3, wherein said fabric substrate is formed of a cotton based material.
 7. A light reflective headwear of claim 1, wherein said retroreflective material comprises reflective microbeads adhered to a surface of a fabric substrate so as to substantially completely cover same, such that said cap appears to have substantially a color of said fabric under high light conditions and appears a brilliant white when reflecting light under low light conditions.
 8. A light reflective headwear of claim 7, wherein said retroreflective material has a coefficient of retroreflectivity exceeding 500 candelas per lux per square meter.
 9. A light reflective headwear of claim 1, wherein said retroreflective material appears dark in color under normal light conditions and has a coefficient of retroreflectivity of approximately 175-250 candelas per lux per square meter.
 10. A light reflective headwear of claim 1, wherein at least one of said soft fabric panels of said crown has a breathable mesh portion.
 11. A light reflective headwear of claim 1, wherein said retro-reflective material has 100% light reflectivity, and is capable of reflecting a light back towards a source of the light up to a distance of 1000 meters.
 12. A light reflective headwear of claim 1, wherein the retroreflective material is resistant to water and stains.
 13. A light reflective headwear of claim 1, wherein the cap appears a dark color under normal light conditions.
 14. A light reflective headwear for providing a high level of visibility and safety for a wearer, wherein substantially all exterior surfaces of the headwear are formed of light reflecting material so that the cap provides 360° of light reflectivity around a person wearing the cap, and wherein the light reflecting material is colored so as to appear substantially the same as a non-light reflective baseball style cap of corresponding color under normal light conditions, and to appears a brilliant white when reflecting light under low light conditions.
 15. A light reflective headwear according to claim 14, wherein the exterior surfaces of said headwear are formed of retroreflective material.
 16. The light reflective headwear of claim 15, wherein said retroreflective material comprises reflective microbeads and pigment adhered to a surface of a fabric substrate so as to substantially completely cover same, such that said cap appears the color of said pigment under normal light conditions and appears a brilliant white when reflecting light under low light conditions.
 17. A light reflective headwear of claim 16, wherein said pigment covers less than five percent of a total area of said surface of the fabric substrate.
 18. A light reflective headwear of claim 16, wherein said fabric substrate is colored the same as said pigment.
 19. A light reflective headwear of claim 16, wherein said fabric substrate is formed of a cotton based material. 